Epcot Dive Quest

I went with my 15 year old, and we both enjoyed the experience.
The highlights are certainly chasing the sand tigers and interacting with the tourists… My son is going to be in a lot of family vacation pictures. :-)
The whole process was smooth and well run, and the staff are all very nice and helpful. I mentioned at the beginning that I normally have a drink of water before diving, and our guide had a cup of water ready as we got into the water.
Yes you are diving in a fish tank, but what a fish tank… Plenty to see (and having crystal clear water helps a lot!), certainly more unique variety of shark/​ray/​turtle you would see on any other open water dive. It is certainly an experience that we will repeat when we are back in Orlando.
The only downside diving in larger groups like this (around 12 people) was my kid’s crestfallen expression when he didn’t see himself interacting with the sharks on the DVD, even though both of us saw the moment recorded. I bought the DVD anyways, but still it would have been better if more of the footage shot made it onto the DVD.

Dive Quest is an awesome experience. Full service. Great visibility. Perfect weather. Nice showers. Large, unfearful turtles, Rays and sharks.

What can I say that isn’t great about this experience?! Right from the start, the staff who were running the tour treated us like VIPs. There was a lot of interesting information about the facility and it was good to see how they cared for the animal life. The dive was awesome! The visibility was great and who can complain about no current! I personally loved playing with the other guests. Being able to interact with people from the inside of the tank was an experience I’m not going to forget. The ability to have so many types of animal life in one location was mind-​blowing! Being able to see Turtles, Rays, Sharks, and assortment of fish all at once was amazing! I would not hesitate to do this dive again!

WOW! Excellent dive! A chance to dive with some animals that you may never see in the wild without some travel, and luck. The Sand Tiger sharks are awesome and beautiful animals, and so graceful to watch… as are the other sharks in the tank. The turtles are not afraid of you, and will swim right up to you. Lots of Eagle Rays, Cownose Rays, and two Devil Rays (like baby Manta’s)… again, very used to divers and will brush up against you. Lots of fish (one Queen Triggerfish was swimming in circles around me, it was hilarious! the visibility last night was 203 feet… which is phenomenal! Makes you wish all your dives were like that!
Great dive for rookie divers, or advanced divers! You get to interact with some of the park guests in the restaurants that have windows into the tank, and it is fun to play with the kids. They seem fascinated by the divers… and love it when you wave or do somersaults for them. I just hung upside down and waved, and it was fun seeing their reactions… lots of laughter and jumping around!
The video of the divers produced by the Epcot staff is good quality and makes a great souvenir. The staff are very good about making everyone feel comfortable, and take very good care of you. The equipment they give you to use is top end too. The background tour of the facilities is a lot of fun, and you will get to see some manatees and dolphins up close.
All in all a great time! Highly recommended!

Dive Quest was awesome! If you’re a diver, this is a must do at Epcot. Like others have said, to check in you wait at the bench and a cast member will come and get the group. They check your C-​cards and sizes. The tour is pretty interesting, you get to go backstage and see what goes on behind the scenes. Once you’re suited up, they walk you from the locker room, through the guest area of The Seas (Yes, in skin tight wetsuits) and up the stairs to the top of the aquarium. There you are met by the divemasters who help you get suited up. All the gear is good quality. You don’t have an octopus but it’s not really needed. The aquarium is 25′ deep and all the dive masters have pony bottles. You are not allowed to bring your own gear, except a mask and dive watch. They don’t give you a dive computer or timer so you just know your depth and tank pressure. I would’ve liked to have brought my wrist computer but I didn’t.
The animals were great to see and swim with. There were big Rays and a couple big Sharks along with a variety of other species.
After the dive, you get to shower and change in the very clean locker rooms and you meet in the class room. They show you bits of the dvd that they shot and you can buy it at the end. They did a great job. During the dive they get a shot of you with your family at the observation window. It turned out great.
They give you a shirt and a dive log sticker for your logbook and release you into The Seas.

Unilocal needs to add a sixth star, five is just not enough to express how fabulous this experience is. From the staff to the equipment to the dive itself, everything was perfect. Nothing more needs to be said.

What an awesome experience. A bucket list dive. The divemasters and staff were great. If you get a chance at divequesr take it you won’t be sorry

Best tour ever. My only complaint is that I cant be under for at least 2 – 3 hours. I would rent the damn thing out for that long. Is it real like your in the ocean no. But is it real enough to get a good feeling and swim around yes!!! its awesome!!! My family who is not certified did the Acqua Tour (you just snorkel) and they had a blast!!! my youngest cried the whole time as she wanted to do it too. She had to be 8 so we will come back when your 8

For my 100^th review I wanted to write about something epic and one thing immediately came to mind: Disney’s Epcot DiveQuest. It has been several years since I did it, but I still have really strong memories about it because it was such an incredible experience. Short version of my review: do it, pay whatever they are asking, thank me later.
DiveQuest was actually the first dive that I chose to do after getting my open water certification and I can’t think of a better choice I could have made. You’re in a controlled environment with perfect visibility where safety is the utmost concern. There are multiple Disney employees watching out for you at all times and they treat you like royalty. When I got out of the water someone was there to hand me a warm towel for my face. I just outstretched my arms and someone took off my tank. Talk about being spoiled! Besides all of that the experience is just incredibly enjoyable.
DiveQuest takes place at Epcot’s «The Seas» pavilion. You don’t have to buy admission to Epcot if you’re doing DiveQuest. You make your reservation and then just head to the guest services area at a designated time. Cast members come out to get you and lead you on a back route to the attraction. It was really interesting getting to peek «behind the curtain» and see an area of the park that guests don’t normally get to see. You’re given a tour of the inner workings of The Seas and learn about what a big effort it is to keep so many sea creatures happy. As interesting as this was I was somewhat distracted because I was so excited/​nervous about getting the dive underway.
After a safety/​rules briefing you are given a wetsuit and are told to go change. It wasn’t until later that I realized that no one ever asked me about what size I should get. The cast members deduced it by looking at me and they were right! Obviously there are different changing areas for men and women and each individual person gets a small, private changing area, along with your own private shower. I was somewhat mortified to discover that they were then going to march us through The Seas to the stairs that led to the tank. Lots of curious tourists were snapping our pictures. If you’re self conscious about being in a skin-​tight outfit in front of a bunch of strangers watch out! I just decided to laugh and roll with it.
When the dive began the dive master had us follow him for a little while and we eventually each took a turn swimming into structure at the bottom of the tank that provided an air bubble. We each took off our masks and smiled and got our picture taken. Loved that!
After that we were able to swim around on our own. It was pretty amazing to see the variety of life (over 6,000 creatures) in the tank with you. Fish would get close to you but not too close. One of the most amazing moments for me was when I stopped moving and just let a giant sea turtle swim right in front of me. Like most kids that saw Jaws earlier than they should have I get pretty freaked out by sharks. Thank goodness the sharks kept their distance from people most of the time.
I immediately swam right to the window where my loved ones were. We got some great pictures from that. It was also really fun interacting with the tourists that were eating in the restaurant and walking through The Seas. In our briefing they told us we were honorary cast members while we were in that tank (and to act appropriately). It’s interesting to think that I could have been a part of a memory a family will always have of their trip to Epcot.
Before I knew it I heard the noise that signaled that it was time to exit the tank. After a quick shower I made the (easy) decision to purchase a DVD of the footage that was shot of us and they released us into the park to enjoy the rest of the day. A portion of the money I paid to experience this went to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. I think that it’s so great that a program like this is offered and is one of many reasons that I love going to Disney.

I was just here with my 10 year old nephew and had a terrible time it was far from fun … The DM was rude and broke standards .The gear is not serviced well. There are no octos, Depth gauges or timing devices on there regulators. we were told in the dive briefing if you had a out of air problem just come up its only 25ft. After the dive briefing we all were asked who here is a dive master or above (like they didn’t know they took out Cert cards before the dive) so I raised my hand, then I was told I was nothing but a open water diver by the Dive master leading the dive. So happy to be the Joke for this DIVE BULLY. BTW the reason I had my DM card with me is because I’m diving with my nephew who is 10 and a JR diver (not my son) … a JR diver not diving with a parent has to dive with a diving pro DM or above. But this DM didn’t know this and made fun of me .and to tell another DM they are nothing but a OW diver is another standards violation Me being a DM is responsible for other divers. But I was going to tell Mr big mouth DM I was there for my nephew and I am staying by my nephews side. there were 3 DM in the water with 19 divers .Well then my nephew and I tried to decent for the first time he could not equalize his ears we got to about 10 ft and we came up .The first Dm came up to us and asked if there was a problem and I told him about My nephews ears and that he just got over a cold. He said to swim around on the surface and try again in a little wile I said OK. After about 15 min or so we tried again no luck he had pain and couldn’t .then the 2 DM came up to us .I went over the same thing I did with the first DM. This DM said the same thing just swim around on the surface and my nephew was enjoying watching the sharks and rays from the surface. Then MR Big Mouth DM Leader of this dive came up .He started the sentence with what’s wrong with him. What wrong don’t he know how to use this (wile holding onto my nephews low-​pressure inflation hose. I then tried to explain he has a ear problem he tried to take my nephew down .I stopped him .then he starts barking how many dives dose he have .I said to him 20 why .I said to him the BC is big on him and its sliding around (my nephew is big and skinny for his age he is 5’1 and weighs 75 lbs) he says its not he BC its him oh BTW my nephew is here and he is hurting his feelings .My nephew has wanted to Dive in the Epcot Dive quest since he was 3 years old he got certified in January so he could dive here .BTW Im a dive shop owner in Canada and came down for a dive show in NY and to spend time with my nephew and to Make his dream of diving in Disney come true. This Cost $ 400.00
just for both of us to dive for 40 min .Were staying on Disney property and have 4 day park hoppers. If he didn’t have his heart set on this dive we could have went diving from a live aboard for all the money sent here. This was not such a Magical Experience. That happened on our first day here 3÷28÷2013

Coming from Texas, I’m used to dirty, silty lake water with less than 15 feet of visibility. I dove in the Keys one summer and I would say it was about 40 – 50 feet on any given day but here, it’s easily 200+. You can see everything and I guarantee that you would never be able to see as much marine life in one dive (at least stateside).
So what’s in there? Rays, sea turtles, sharks, as well as a lot of assorted fish. The sea turtles were a bit elusive during the dive so I didn’t see much of them. There are also dolphins BUT they are in a separate section that you are forbidden to even go near (apparently they don’t take kindly to people being in their home).
The cost is a bit of a deterrent at $ 179 (+/​-​) but all of it goes to «marine research».
What to expect: You’ll meet just outside of the entrance to Epcot (near guest relations). A cast member will ask for all the divers to follow him to the back of the park where they’ll get shoe sizes and he will eyeball what size of wetsuit you’ll need. After that, you go to the back of the «living seas» building where you’ll sign some liability paperwork, then its to the restrooms to change into wetsuits, and onto the dive platform. Total bottom time: 45 – 60 minutes.
After the dive, you’ll return to those restrooms, shower, and then meet back to watch the video they made while you were diving. It’s an extra $ 30 but again it all goes to «marine research», be forewarned though about half of it is just a plug for Dive Quest.
Despite the expense, I would do this again in a heartbeat. I absolutely loved it and will probably do it every time I visit Disney.
Side note: If you are thinking about proposing on this dive, notify the DM. This happens about 3 times a month so it’s not an unusual request.

Anniversaries can be hard sometimes. We’re not big on gifts, so I wanted to do something fun. Since we hadn’t been Scuba diving in a year, I thought it’d be good to take a trip somewhere as a refresher, but we only had one day to do it in.
Enter Disney! Although I used to work at MGM, I’d never had the chance to do Disneys Living Seas scuba dive before. It’s in the second largest aquarium in the world, and they let you swim around with their sharks and rays and turtles.
And it was really fun! We got a little walk around the backstage area of the living seas and got to see the dolphin and manatee area before changing into our wetsuits. What I really liked about the program was that we didn’t need any gear or flippers or anything, so I didn’t have to lug our gear into the park.
In the water, which was nice and warm to begin with, but felt freezing by the time we were done, we swam a circuit of the tank for the photographer before swimming off on our own. I had asked one of the divers beforehand where a good spot to sit to see the sharks was, so we sat in a clearing and just watched them drift by our faces. The rays came to see us too, close enough to reach out and touch. I suppose the Disney divers feed them in a similar manner, because they seemed really interested in us, and rather disappointed when no food manifested.
I love scuba diving because you feel so weightless, and it’s such different scenery, it’s like you’re on another world populated by fish and friendly turtles. It was extra surreal at Disney because a lot of things were fake. The fish were real, but the coral and scenery were just statues. Add to that the crowds of people watching you through the viewing areas in the park, and you felt a bit like a fish in an aquarium yourself.
Some of the other divers in our group of five really got into the show part of the dive, and looked like they had a lot of fun waving for the cameras on the other side of the plexiglass. I had more fun with the show that the sea turtles and sharks were putting on.
Even though it was a guided dive through an aquarium, it was really well done. It was a three hour tour, and we had 40 minutes in the water, which ended up being perfect for the temperature and amount of air I had in my tank. It was a small group, and the dive masters were really accommodating. I asked one if there was a good place to see the sharks, and she told us just where to wait to get them to come up to us.
So we got to swim with some sharks, refreshed our diving skills, and after the dive, they let us go into the park, so we ended the night with dinner in Japan and fireworks!

My husband and I are advanced water divers and my husband is also rescue diver trained. His mom actually mention this to us last time were visiting Florida and we brushed it off because we thought it would be boring since it was in a man-​made fish take (we have been spoiled living out in Hawaii).
BUt this time, I convinced him it would be fun, different, and an experience many never get a chance to do. My parents kicked into help on the cost and we made the reservations!
The Reservations were easy to make and were given many different options on time (all in the late afternoon/​evening).
The dive masters who met us outside and then brought us in on a tour were great. They were educated and involved and were able to show us the inner workings of fish tank at Epcot.
Once we had the tour, we covered rules, procedures, etc. and changed into our dive gear that they provided which was in excellent shape and well taken care of.
You enter the tank off a ledge which makes entry so smooth and nice. You get down there and the dive master guides you around for about 10 minutes… and then you are free to explore. Sea Turtles, numerous sharks, huge fish, and many other little creatures.
This dive is amazing because you don’t have to worry about much… you can just relax and enjoy the animals up close and personal.
The best thing about the whole dive was that my family was able to see us through the glass and my little niece LOVED it!

Did this Dive with my daughter. This is the easiest dive you will ever do.
Brilliant dive in a 6 Million gallon aquarium with the best variety of fish (and Turtles) you will ever find in one place.
You have to use the Disney dive gear but then it is first rate so that is not a problem.
They produce a DVD of the dive which is a bargain and a good memory.
The icing on the cake … all the money for the dive and the DVD goes to Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. Disney puts on the tour and donates all the money.
A must for any Certified diver in Orlando.

Great dive! Besides being in close proximity to relatively tame marine life (they are used to divers), the best part of the dive is entertaining the patrons on the OUTSIDE of the glass! The kids love to watch the divers frolic, and the divers love to watch the kids laugh at their antics.
This is a relatively inexpensive and all-​around enjoyable experience (and you don’t even need an Epcot ticket to do the dive — you can do just the dive if you want). The proceeds go to wildlife, so Disney really hit the nail on the head with this one.

I get sea sick in the gulf but love to dive (yea it sucks!). Dive Quest was an incredible experience! Diving with sharks and dolphins in the Epcot aquarium is a great and safe experience for those who like a little more safety in their dives or don’t want to have to get on a boat. The is one of the best dive experiences I’ve ever had and I dive a lot. It is a must-​do.

Yet another hidden gem at Disney where else can you dive the nations 2^nd biggest aquarium 6.5 Million Gallons to be exact with 65 different Species of Fish, Sharks, Rays and Turtles. One phone call and a few dollars and it’s all there for you to do. Everyone can say they went to Epcot. you can say you dove Epcot. Our Tour Lead Chad was Awesome and the whole support crew. If you ever get the chance take this and do it you’ll be glad you did

I did this same dive with my Son and this was one of the best dive experiences we have had. The dive cost goes to the wildlife foundation so you are also helping with the enviornment. The highlight of the dive was watching my son swim in front of the dining room windows and entertain the children walking through the living seas exibit.

I am the world’s worst scuba diver.
I am proud to claim this title. I get sea sick, my ears don’t clear well, I get sick UNDER water people! This does not fare well. And even worse, my entire family are all incredible divers. My mother is a Master Diver, my husband is newly converted… you get the point.
So! I decided as the ultimate sacrifice, that I would go scuba diving at Epcot’s Dive Quest in order to get my husband to step foot into dreaded Disney World. I love this place… it’s where dreams come true for goodness sakes! But my husband thinks it’s where advertising comes true and had forsaken disney for a loooong time.
So! We decided to take the plunge and dive in (hardee-​har-​har)! We signed up for Dive Quest which is a backstage tour of the Living Seas exhibit at Disney, as well as a scuba dive into the actual 6 million gallon tank where all of the little tourists are staring at you as you swim with sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, and thousands of fishies.
This was amazing. Granted, not everything is 100% natural like other dives I have done in the past… but nowhere on the planet can you see so many amazing animals in one single dive. The conditions were absolutely clear with 100% visibility, the locker room was impeccable, and you don’t have to worry about gear.
You check in with the folks, give them your measurements, they pull your wetsuits and booties and BCD’s while you take the backstage tour. Once the tour is over, you go to the locker room where a little locker with your name on it is waiting for you with the wetsuits etc. You change, go see dolphins and manatees backstage, go to the tank, get your already assembled BCD’s and tanks on, and dive in. A 40 minute dive is guided, you get to feel like a little celebrity as you wave to kids and people in restaurants watching from behind the windows, and then you get changed.
Amazing experience. The service was second to none. Skip and Scott were our guides, and not only did they take care of our diving… Skip even went the extra mile and booked a dinner reservation for us. Amazing guys. Amazing place. If you want to dive… come here!
PS The entire experience runs $ 150. This includes the 1.5 hour tour, the 40 minute dive, all of the gear, and they let you into the park afterwards, which gives you enough time to grab some dinner and walk around.